


I Would Give you the Moon (If Only I Could Reach)

by forheart



Series: When the day met the Night [5]
Category: TWICE (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, Sad Jimin, hoseok wishing he could say no to blue eyes, proactive jimin, rebelious jimin, taehyung i'm looking at you, wolves who are too innocent to hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-07 15:14:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11061648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forheart/pseuds/forheart
Summary: It's been nearly a month since the engagement ceremony and Prince Jimin moved into the Northern Palace. Though everyone has been more than welcoming, he still feels like an outsider in his new home. Prince Namjoon wishes he could lift his fiancee's spirit.





	1. Fernweh

There was a board, with different fabrics pinned on to it, on display in the library. Some patterned, some frayed at the ends, and some with delicately wove in patterns.

Chaeyoung leaned closer to the board. “They’re all lovely, but shouldn’t there be more blue?”

Jimin, who stood to Chaeyoung’s right, crossed his arms over his chest, “It can’t be helped. It is a wedding of two tribes, the Eastern green must be as prominent as the Northern Blue.”

Dahyun, who stood Chaeyoung’s left, pointed at the bottom corner of the board, where a green patch was embroidered with silver thread, “Personally, I like this the most for the tablecloths. The Northern Silver contrasts beautifully with the deep green. And the fort symbol seems more regal in this color, instead of its typical brown.”

Jimin and Chaeyoung nodded along with every word that Dahyun said.

“An excellent point, but I think we should consult with our design team,” Jimin said. He turned to the leather couch behind them. “Do you have any opinions?”

The audience on the leather couch collectively groaned.

Yoongi hugged his knees to his chest from where he sat on the furthest right corner of the couch. He wore a green robe instead of the Northern blue, he refused to wear the color until his wedding, an act he almost regretted due to the cold. Tzuyu sat on the other end of the couch, as far away from Yoongi as physically possible, her legs crossed, and her head lolling against the back of the couch. Jeongyeon stood behind Tzuyu, her back ramrod straight as she glared down at the princess. She slapped Tzuyu on the back of the head. Tzuyu frowned up at her. Jeongyeon gestured to the board. Tzuyu rolled her eyes. She mumbled under her breath, “I agree with whatever Dahyun said.”

Jeongyeon sighed. She offered her own opinion, “I’m impressed. Before today I had thought combining the two tribes’ colors was a fool’s task.”

“Under a lesser wolf, it would have been,” Chaeyoung said from where she stood next to the board. Her face pulled into a wide smile, and her wolf tail wagged rapidly behind her, “Only the talented Hyoyeon could pull off a wedding such as this one.”

Hyoyeon, the wedding planner, beamed from where she stood behind the board, “You flatter me.”

Jimin hid his laugh behind his hands. Only very rarely did Chaeyoung lose control of her composure long enough for her wolf ears and tail to appear while she was in her human body. Jimin would be sure to mock her later for this.

Jimin’s gaze flittered to Yoongi, whose eyes had glossed over. He shivered in his seat. Jimin pulled his black cape, one Tzuyu had lent him, tighter around his body. Jimin spoke, “Yoongi, what do you think? After all, it is your wedding.”

Yoongi’s eyes panicked briefly. He turned to his Beta, Jihyo, who stood behind him. Jihyo’s eyebrows shot up. She grasped at words, “Well… I like the pattern Princess Dahyun chose. But, I also like the tan fabric with the Northern Tree embroidered on it. The needlework is very precise.”

“You have a good eye,” The wedding planner praised. Jihyo blushed, Hyoyeon pointed at the square Jihyo had described, “The Omega who sewed this came from a long generation of seamstresses. She voluntarily sent me this patch, and while I don’t agree with the colors I admit her talent is impeccable. I hired her for all the detail work on the banners.”

“Wolves are giving stuff to you?” Yoongi asked, his first words of the afternoon.

Hyoyeon smiled in earnest, “Of course. It’s been over two decades since the last royal wedding, and now we are having two in one year. Everyone is very excited. If you go to the Inns in the city, they are full of mountain wolves hoping to get a glimpse of you or our beautiful Southern Prince.”

Jimin’s smile grew wider, his eyes disappeared into crescents, “We are excited to meet them as well.”

“I believe we’re done with the fabrics,” Hyoyeon spoke. She waved her assistants over to clean up the boards. They were silent as they folded the displays and packed them in chests. “We will do the taste testing for the banquert in two days.”

Yoongi sat up straight on the couch. “Wait. Can we push the tasting for another day?”

Hyoyeon glared at Yoongi. “I don’t know if that’s possible. The chef is a very popular Beta.”

Yoongi looked as if he regretted speaking up. He visibly deflated, Jimin noticed. Jimin asked, “Why do you want to move the date?”

Yoongi blushed. He spoke in a small voice, “Seokjin was excited to try the food. He has a meeting in two days.”

Hyoyeon’s expression brightened. “Oh, if it’s for the Prince I’m sure the chef will gladly push it for another day.” She and her assistants bowed at the royal family, then left the library. Tzuyu stood up, she waved good bye to both Jimin and Dahyun, but only glared at Yoongi, then left the library with Jeongyeon trailing after her.

Yoongi slumped over his knees. He ran his hands through his bangs. “I feel like I’m going to barf,” Yoongi groaned.

Jimin rubbed Yoongi’s shoulder in a soothing motion. “That was kind of you.”

“Not really,” Yoongi mumbled, “Thanks for saving me.”

Jihyo smiled from where she stood behind Yoongi.

“No problem,” Jimin said. “We none- Northern wolves have to look after each other.”

Yoongi gave a small smile.

“Rosebud!”

Yoongi’s smile grew wider. Jimin looked at the entrance to the library over his shoulder, to see Seokjin walking towards them with a frown on his face and his ears flattened against the top of his head. He draped himself across Yoongi on the couch. He buried his face in Yoongi’s neck. “The meeting was terrible, I hated it,” Seokjin whined.

Yoongi scratched the back of Seokjin’s head, “It was a meeting with the local townsleaders, of course it was terrible,” Yoongi scolded him. But his smile stayed.

Seokjin wrapped his arms around Yoongi’s waist. “Comfort me,” Seokjin pouted.

“You’re a baby,” Yoongi teased.

Jimin smiled fondly at the couple on the couch. But there was a pang in his chest. He slipped out of the library, with Chaeyoung two steps behind him.

~~

 

 

Namjoon skimmed through an aisle in the archives. He pulled three books out and placed them in Taehyung’s open arms. Then he placed two more, Taehyung adjusted so that he didn’t drop the books. When Namjoon pulled out two more, Taehyung made a noise of dissent. Namjoon looked at Taehyung swaying as he struggled to hold five heavy books. Namjoon smiled sheepishly. Taehyung glared with a heavy pout.

“I’ll carry these two,” Namjoon said.

Taehyung hummed angrily.

Namjoon read the top book as he walked therough the palace hallways. Taehyung struggled to keep up with his pace.

“Your highness!”

Namjoon looked up from the pages. His face brightened when he saw it was Jimin, and Chaeyoung then it fell briefly when he realized he had been addressed by title, not name. Namjoon recovered, “Prince Jimin, how was the meeting with the planner?”

“It went well. Hyoyeon has an eye for color, she miraculously coordinated the Eastern and Northern colors,” Jimin said.

“That’s an impressive feat,” Namjoon said. Jimin smiled up at him. Namjoon hid his face in the logbook, determined to hide his oncoming blush.

“The chef will be here in three days so that we can choose menu items,” Jimin said, “Would you like to attend?”

“That’s the day after the meeting with the ambassador overseas, I’ll be reviewing what was discussed.”

“…of course.”

Namjoon felt a sharp elbow dig into his waist. He glared at Taehyung. Taehyung nodded at Jimin.

Jimin’s gaze was directed at the tile floor in a downtrodden expression, his hands hidden in the cape. He looked as if he regretted ever asking the question. Chaeyoung in turn fixed Namjoon with a stern expression.

 Namjoon quickly spoke up, “But I can do that after the chef leaves.”

Jimin briefly looked up at Namjoon, “You don’t have to, I wouldn’t want to impose on your duties.”

“It wouldn’t be imposing, honest,” Namjoon spoke in a rush, “in fact I should attend more of the planning meetings, so that I can be prepared when it comes time for our wedding.”

Jimin’s clasped hands dropped to his waist. His lips started to pull into a smile, “Our meetings will be nothing like these rushed ones. Seokjin and Yoongi are desperately trying to cram six months worth of planning into three weeks.”

“Won’t we have to do something similar? I know you chose the wisteria pond as the wedding location. They’re only in bloom for spring.”

Jimin’s smile had completely returned, and it wasn’t the false one that he put on to entertain guests. “We’ll still take more than three weeks,” he beamed at Namjoon.

Namjoon felt the blush returning, but he didn’t dare look away. Lest he say something stupid, again.

Taehyung stumbled next to them. Namjoon and Jimin both remembered that there was someone in the hallway with them. Jimin lifted the top book off Taehyung’s stack. “You’re going to hurt yourself,” Jimin chided.

“Not to worry, Jiminie” -Chaeyoung sneered at Taehyung’s nickname- “I’m a big wolf, I’m stronger than I look,” Taehyung boasted. He tried to steady himself only to almost slip again.

Jimin grabbed another book from Taehyung’s stack and handed it to Chaeyoung.  “I think you’re all length and no width,” Chaeyoung teased.

Namjoon laughed. Taehyung pouted. Namjoon shrugged, “He’s right.”

Jimin hid his laugh behind the book in his hands. Namjoon wished he hadn’t. Namjoon wished he could see that laugh every day.

~~

 

 

The fire from the lanterns cast a dim glow across Jimin’s room. Sorry, not Jimin’s room, at least that’s not how it felt to him. All of the furniture was Northern, the blue tapestry, the low beds, the lanterns that hung from the wall made of tin, all of it felt Northern. The only Southern part, the only parts that belonged to Jimin were the clothes in the dresser and a mahogany chest with the beautiful golden phoenix painted on its side.

Jimin watched the Phoenix as he stood perfectly still, with his arms outstretched in front of him. The ambitious seamstress was making Jimin a very traditional Northern robe for the upcoming wedding. The fitting wasn’t until tomorrow, but Chaeyoung didn’t want to flounder in front of the wedding planner when trying to tie unfamiliar knots. Lucky for both her and Jimin, Jihyo had studied complex sewing patterns in the Beta academy. She found one of the queens old Omega robes in a similar pattern to show the Southern wolves.

Jihyo knotted the ties at the end of Jimin’s sleeves. “You want to leave an inch of fabric when you make the knot. In ancient times, this space was used to hide a fan in his sleeves. But now that Omegas are allowed to leave their faces uncovered, the space is used to trade notes with their Betas during parties.”

“We are not allowed to be directly addressed?” Chaeyoung asked.

“Nope,” Jihyo answered.

Chaeyoung sneered.

Jimin flapped his newly tied sleeve. The shoulders were stiff, but at least he had room to cover his hands. He pouted, “I feel constricted in all of this fabric.”

“That’s because Southern wolves are all nudists,” Yoongi said from where he lay across Jimin’s bed. He had Jimin’s book, _Origins of the North_ , open in front of him.

Chaeyoung glared at Yoongi, Jimin only frowned. He grasped for words, “We’re not… have you ever met a Southern wolf?”

“Besides you two?” Yoongi asked.

Jimin nodded.

Yoongi turned a page of the book. “Nope,” he answered.

Chaeyoung opened her mouth to tell off Yoongi, but Jimin gripped her sleeve and shook his head in dissent.

Jungkook walked into the room at that moment. His black robes were sloppily tied and hung loosely off his shoulders, his black hair disarray, his wolf ears popped out from the top of his head and his tail dragged behind him. “Today is the day, Taehyung finally did it. He caught a rabbit.”

“Oh no,” Jimin said.

“So he’s finally a mature wolf,” Yoongi said, his tone impressed.

“We should go see Taehyungie, he must be beside himself,” Jimin said to Chaeyoung.

“Five gold coins says he’s in fetal position in the corner of his room crying to himself,” Chaeyoung said. Jimin glared. Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow in challenge, Jimin couldn’t argue with her.

“Why would he do that?” Jungkook asked, he leaned against the doorway.

“Because he killed a rabbit,” Jimin said, “the poor thing.”

“I never said that,” Jungkook shook out his hair, a leaf fell out. “I said he _caught_ a rabbit. He’s making an enclosure for it in his room right now.”

Chaeyoung and Jimin exchanged glances. Jimin thrusts his arms out at Jihyo. “Release me from this contraption,” he demanded, then after a moment he added, “Please.”

“We must play with the rabbit,” Chaeyoung explained.

Jihyo laughed, but she began undoing the knots on Jimin’s sleeves.

“And here I almost praised Taehyung,” Yoongi laughed to himself. “What about you, did you catch anything?”

Jungkook walked up to Yoongi. “I killed two rabbits for you, just like you asked.”

Yoongi smiled. He ran his hand through Jungkook’s bangs, a gesture of praise, “You’ve done well, Kookie.”

Jungkook’s tail wagged in contentment. “I’ve learned from the best.”

“Hell yeah you did.”

Chaeyoung gave Yoongi a once over, her gaze lingered on his thin arms. She asked, “Did you teach Jungkook how to hunt?”

“Psh, No. Seokjin taught him the big stuff. I showed him how to hunt small game,” Yoongi said. Jungkook had melted onto the bed from Yoongi’s touches. “On the Eastern shore there aren’t a lot of food for big animals, like the huge boars and stags you have in your forests. But there is a lot of small game. I was the best wolf in the village at catching squirrels and rabbits.”

Jihyo undid the ties at Jimin’s neck, so that the robe fell from his body. “You were allowed outside of your house, by yourself?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook turned away from Jimin’s exposed body, as a sign of respect for the Omega. Yoongi continued to run his hands through Jungkook’s hair. “We may be a small tribe but we’re not archaic.”

Jimin’s blue eyes dulled. Chaeyoung saw the change in expression. She quickly picked up the red robe with the most fabric from the top of his chest. “Let’s get ready for dinner,” she suggested, “You can wear the broach from your mother, if you’d like?”

Jimin nodded mutely, he went through the motions of putting on his robes. Chaeyoung chewed on her lower lip as she tied the tassels. Normally the Phoenix broach would cause Jimin to break out in a large smile, but now…

Chaeyoung buckled a thin black choker around Jimin’s neck. He smiled lightly when he caught his reflection, only for his face to fall moments later.

Chaeyoung felt an emptiness in her chest. She didn’t know how to fix this. Not at all.

~~

 

 

Namjoon dried off his silver hair with a towel. He had desperately wanted to find Jimin after the hunt, but he remembered what happened the other night. When Jimin scrunched up his nose because Namjoon smelled like dead animals and frozen dirt. Namjoon took the extra forty minutes to bathe, so that Jimin would smile when they saw each other. Namjoon’s chest warmed at the thought.

Namjoon heard a sound in his room. His nose scrunched up. His eyes glowed for the hunt. He looked around the room, his eyes zeroed in on the small white and tan rabbit on the floor, trapped in a circle made of a dresser and Namjoon’s export books that he had been reading the night before. Namjoon recognized the rabbit from earlier that day. He growled, “Taehyung!”

Taehyung ran from his attached room. His robes were loose, his hair disarray, and mud on his fingers from the hunt. He saw Namjoon’s stern expression, and the hands on his hips. Taehyung smiled, he feigned innocence, “Yes?”

Namjoon pointed at the rabbit.

Taehyung picked up the rabbit. He asked, “Have you met Mistletoe?”

“I did, when you corralled him away from Jungkook,” Namjoon said.

Taehyung hugged the rabbit to his chest and covered his ears, “Shh Namjoonie,” Taehyung whispered, “Mistletoe is traumatized after seeing his brothers die.” Taehyung then uncovered the rabbit’s ears to stroke his back, “He didn’t mean that baby.”

Namjoon groaned, “Taehyung I said you could keep the rabbit in your room.”

“My room is too small. Mistletoe was sad, he needs more space to hop around,” Taehyung whined.

“You can’t keep him here.”

“Where will he live?”

“Outside, where he grew up.”

“Where Jungkook can kill him? I don’t think so.” Taehyung continued to pet the rabbit. He pouted up at Namjoon.

Namjoon sighed. He wasn’t going to win the fight right now. “We’ll talk more after dinner. But he can’t stay in here.”

There was a knock at the door. “Prince Namjoon, can we come in?”

Namjoon recognized the voice of Jimin’s beta. “Yeah sure.

Chaeyoung pushed the door open and ran into the room, Jimin right behind her.

Namjoon quickly grabbed his robe from the bed and covered his exposed chest. “You-your highness. What are you doing here?”

“I hope you don’t mind. We wanted to see the rabbit,” Jimin said, already stroking the rabbit’s ears, a large smile and his eyes curved into crescents. Namjoon felt warmth in his chest.

Taehyung carefully maneuvered the rabbit from his arms to Chaeyoung’s. “Enjoy Mistletoe while you can,” Taehyung said, “Namjoon is making me get rid of him.”

 “Why would you do that?” Jimin asked.

Namjoon gestured at the mess on his floor, “Taehyung wants to keep him in my room. I can’t have that.”

“But my room is too small,” Taehyung whined.

“You can keep him in my room,” Jimin suggested.

Taehyung’s big box smile returned. He hugged Jimin tightly to his chest, “You are an angel on Earth Jiminie, and too good for Namjoonie.”

Namjoon growled. Taehyung released his hold on Jimin. Jimin slapped Namjoon’s shoulder, “Stop that!“

Namjoon’s fangs receded. Did he just whine? Jimin tilted his head in curiosity. ”Taehyung is the least threatening wolf in existence.”

“You should be offended,” Chaeyoung told Taehyung.

Taehyung shrugged, “I’ve heard it before.”

“Is something wrong?” Jimin asked Namjoon.

“Nothing,” Namjoon’s eyes went to the choker around Jimin’s neck. The last time Jimin had worn one had been for their engagement ceremony. Namjoon’s gaze flitted up to Jimin, “How about you? Is everything all right?”

Jimin took a deep breath. “All is well,” he said, his tone unconvincing.

Again, Namjoon was frustrated. He was at that point where he could read that Jimin was uncomfortable but he didn’t know how to make it better. He was at that stage where they should be close enough that he could initiate contact, yet neither has. Namjoon wanted to reach out, across the space between them, and hug Jimin to his chest, yet he refrained. What if the worse happened? What if Namjoon reached out and Jimin, instead of leaning in to the touch, pulled away? What if Jimin was repulsed by the action instead of enamored? Namjoon could not handle such a reaction.

Jimin had a strand of hair out of place, a lock that was a tad too long and brushed Jimin’s eyelashes, that slightly obstructed his crystal blue eyes. Namjoon gently reached out and stroked it. Jimin stilled under Namjoon’s touch. Namjoon brushed back the hair behind Jimin’s ear, his hand lingered a moment longer than necessary. “You look handsome,” Namjoon complimented.

Jimin blushed, “Thank you.”

Taehyung and Chaeyoung traded sneaky smiles. The royal wolves didn’t notice.

All at once both Namjoon and JImin realized how long they had been staring. Jimin stepped away. Namjoon coughed into his fist. “You don’t have to keep the rabbit in your room. We can make an enclosure in the garden or something.”

“But I want to,” Jimin held up the rabbit so that it was level with Namjoon’s face, “Isn’t he cute?”

Namjoon wanted to say that the wolf holding the rabbit was cuter. Seokjin would say it, why couldn’t he say it. Namjoon rubbed at the back of his neck, “I guess he’s cute…”

“Let’s bring him to your room, now,” Chaeyoung suggested.

“We should invite Yoongi,” Taehyung added.

“We shouldn’t. Because of his pregnancy he’s been craving rabbit non – stop,” Jimin said.

“He might shift into his true wolf and kill Mistletoe,” Chaeyong added.

“The two must never meet,” Taehyung’s voice was dead serious.

They all left Namjoon’s room. Namjoon wanted to follow them. Was he even invited? Was he even allowed? He didn’t know. He wanted to know more.

~~

 

  

In pup form, Dahyun had white fur with grey paws and muzzle, as if she had dug around in ashes. She was also small enough to sneak into rooms and hide under things.

Take the servants’ dining room for example. Dahyun was currently crouched under the large silverware chest so that she could stare at the table. Jeongyeon, her sister’s Beta, was red in the face and stuttering as she spoke to Nayeon, the beautiful servant Omega. Based on the week’s prior sneaky- sneaky investigation conducted by the most brilliant princess in the land, Dahyun knew that Jeongyeon had been nursing a crush on Nayeon for two years. And was building up the courage to ask her mother for permission to court the Omega. Dahyun wished her luck.

Nayeon laughed at something Jeongyeon said. Her blue eyes disappeared as they curved into a smile. Jeongyeon blushed at the reaction.

Dahyun, pleased with her research, decided that it was time to move to another ongoing case. Dahyun snuck onto a food cart as it passed by her. She rode it all the way to its destination, the palace library to serve tea and scones to its inhabitants. Dahyun crawled out and hid under the leather couch.

Jimin occupied the desk. He wore a thick Northern robe, and a green shawl around his shoulders. Dahyun was forever amused by how easily Southerners froze. Jimin shivered every time there was the slightest chill. Dahyun covered her muzzle with her paws to prevent her giggles from escaping.

Namjoon walked into the library. He faltered when he saw that Jimin was already there. He had an archive book open in front of him, and his gaze was directed out of the window, towards the city square. Namjoon’s cheeks turned red. Dahyun smiled to herself.

“Prince Jimin,” Namjoon said.

Jimin looked up at him. He gave a small smile. “I’m reading up on all of the invitees to your brother’s wedding.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Namjoon reassured Jimin.

Jimin’s smile dropped for just a moment. “But some of them are fascinating. Princess Sana from overseas comes from a very strong bloodline of Alphas and she’s second in line to the throne.”

“Yeah, but her sister’s Omega is pregnant. He should be due any day now. Sana is in training to take over her uncle’s position as an Ambassador to our kingdom. She probably will be soon,” Namjoon sat down next to Jimin at the desk.

“She’ll need to find a mate from here,” Jimin mused aloud.

Dahyun added O _peration: Find Sana a Beautiful Omega to_ her internal rolodex of ongoing missions.

Jimin tilted his head to the side. “Won’t you be sad when the Ambassador leaves? I know you and his son are good friends.”

“I’ll miss Jackson. Don’t tell him I said that, he’ll hold it over me for years,” Namjoon said.

Jimin giggled.

Namjoon continued, “We had lunch together last week. He said he misses his home country.” Namjoon’s eyes dulled.

Jimin pulled on the tassle of his shawl, “It’s a beautiful country, at least from the paintings I’ve seen.”

“You’ve been looking at the cartographies?” Namjoon asked.

Jimin looked at Namjoon. Namjoon looked at him. Jimin looked away first. “I want to impress everyone.”

“You don’t have to, I’m sure they’ll love you,” Namjoon said, fond smile still on his face. It warmed Dahyun’s heart.

Chaeyoung wildly opened the door to the library. Dahyun seized the opportunity to run out of the room and check for any advancements in her other ongoing mission.

Dahyun found Yoongi in the music room, a place where she had found him five days in a row, where he lay face down on the carpet, a book open next to him. Seokjin stepped up next to his collapsed fiancé. He folded his arms over his chest and asked, “What happened?”

Yoongi turned to Seokjin, he glared at his boots. “Your characters are too complicated.”

Seokjin sighed. He sat down on the rug. Dahyun dived under the ottoman to remain hidden. Seokjin lifted up the open book. “You need to read these journals. They explain how to prepare for the final months of pregnancy.”

“I’m still in the beginning of it, why do I need to know the ending. Spoiler alert: a pup comes out of me,” Yoongi complained.

Seokjin sighed. He stroked Yoongi’s hair in long soothing strokes. “Sweet Pea, this stuff is important. What happens if the umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck, or he comes out butt first, or if he wants to come out as a wolf pup and you need to safely shift while in labor. We need to be prepared, just in case.”

“I know,” Yoongi grumbled. He sat himself with his elbows and pouted at Seokjin. “Can’t you do this stuff for me?”

“I would if I could,” Seokjin said He tipped Yoongi’s chin and kissed him slowly. Yoongi smiled into his mouth.

Dahyun’s tail thumped wildly. How sweet.

But like her previous research shown, something felt different between her oldest brother’s relationship and her younger brother’s relationship. Her wolf ears twitched in annoyance.

Yoongi smirked at Seokjin when they separated. Then his expression softened to one of pure affection.

Dahyun’s eyes widened. She figured it out. She howled and ran out of the music room.

Seokjin and Yoongi watched her run away with wide eyes.

Seokjin spoke first. “Was she there the whole time?”

“Fuck.”

Dahyun quickly shifted, threw on the robe with the least amount of tying, and ran back to the library. “You haven’t kissed yet!” She shouted.

Thankfully Jimin had left already, so he didn’t have to be witness to Namjoon killing his youngest sister. Namjoon clamped a hand over Dahyun’s mouth. “Do you have to be so loud?”

Dahyun licked the palm of his hand.

Namjoon pulled it away

 “It’s obvious you’re in love with Prince Jimin, but he’s not in love with you yet,” Dahyun said.

“Thanks for saying it aloud.” Namjoon delivered in a deadpan voice.

“You need to woo Prince Jimin. Show him some of the good ole Northern charms.”

Namjoon sighed, he didn’t have time for his sister’s romantic notions. Nonetheless, he indulged her. “And tell me what are these charms?”

“I don’t know,” Dahyun shrugged, “Maybe there were only a limited number and Seokjin and I took them all.”

Namjoon hung his head in shame, “You’re very helpful.”

“I’m trying to help,” Dahyun stomped her foot. “You’re not taking this seriously.”

“Believe me, I am,” Namjoon said with a sigh.

Dahyun looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. Namjoon sighed, he ruffled her hair. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Dahyun pouted, “I want to understand now!”

“So do I,” Namjoon said, his voice different from before.

Dahyung searched over her brother’s face, his furrowed brows, the downward slope of his shoulders. He was right, this was something she didn’t understand. This was something beyond the romance novels Nayeon lent her.  She patted her brother’s thigh, in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. He looked at her. She smiled up at him. “You’re doing your best. I’m sure he can see how much you care”

Namjoon gave a half smile. He ran a hand through Dahyun’s hair. “I hope you’re right.”

~~

 

 

The archery range was in the Northern most grounds within the palace territory. It doubled as a polo field in the spring and summer seasons. But since there was still frost on the grounds Jimin had no problem securing it for practice.

Jimin was alone. Chaeyoung was inside the palace getting measured for a Northern uniform. She’d need it for Yoongi and Prince Seokjin’s wedding in two weeks.

For once, Jimin wore the royal blue robes of the North, with the thick black leggings he had been avoiding. He wore a thick black cape that clasped at the collar, it had two large slits for his arms. The chill was too cold for him to be outdoors in his Southern red. The material was different but at least Jimin wasn’t frozen. There was no hiding from the cold. His breath came out in small white puffs.

Jimin reached for an arrow from his pack. He set in the string pulled. He closed one eye, he aimed at the scarecrow target 50 meters away. He released the arrow. It hit the second innermost ring.

“Not bad.”

Jimin turned to his audience.

It was Princess Tzuyu, older daughter of the North and younger sister to his fiancé. She wore a tight fitted thick blue robe, the black leggings, and black boots that stopped below the knee. She didn’t wear the cape, having been raised in the North she was used to this weather. Her long black hair was tied in braid, though a few stray strands framed her face. “With a little more practice, we could add you to our armies,” she complimented.

Jimin forced a smile. He bowed. “Thank you, your highness.”

She scoffed, “If you’re to marry my brother you have to get used to calling me by name.”

“It’s ingrained,” Jimin apologized.

“How do you do it?” Tzuyu asked. She held out her own bow, she pulled out one of her arrows, and released. She hit the second outermost ring of the scarecrow. “How do you act so formal all the time?”

“I was raised that way,” Jimin admitted. He grabbed another arrow and pulled back the string. “You remember the lessons. Smile. Address wolves by title. Discuss light things like the weather.” Jimin released his arrow. He hit the bullseye.

Tzuyu blinked back her surprise. “I attended them. They didn’t become second nature.” She fired another arrow. She missed the scarecrow entirely.

“Maybe it’s because you’re an Alpha. Your natural instinct is to take control,” Jimin suggested. His blue eyes dulled, “As an Omega my natural instincts are to submit.”

“Is that so?” Tzuyu said. She set another arrow and released it. This time she hit the bullseye. “You never struck as the kind of wolf who gave into others demands.”

Jimin blinked up at her.

“You’re polite, but you’re a purebred royal wolf. You choose which battles are worth fighting. You’re not in the Southern Palace anymore. Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Otherwise you’ll just live a long boring life,” Tzuyu said with a smile.

Tzuyu continued with her archery practice, some arrows hit the targets, others missed entirely, but Jimin was done for the day. A thousand thoughts start running through his head. Not all of which were bad, he might even say they were exciting. He smiled, a genuine full faced smile. He looked out, past the palace walls, and thought of the possibilities.

~~

 

 

Jihyo folded the last of Yoongi’s robes. She frowned at the small stack. Jihyo would have to speak with the seamstress about sewing more. But Yoongi rebelled at the few blue robes he did have. Is it possible to buy more green fabric? Jihyo sighed.

She put the robes on the shelves of the dresser. She had to reach on her toes for the topmost shelf. A figure stood next to her. She flinched.

“Hey, it’s just me,” Hoseok held up his hands in surrender.

Jihyo exhaled a breath. “I’m sorry, I thought you were the Prince.”

Hoseok frowned, “What’s wrong with Seokjin?”

“Nothing, he just… he worries about Yoongi. It’s well intended, but at times it’s overwhelming.” Jihyo tried to place another robe on the top shelf.

Hoseok took it from her arms, he easily reached it. “Seokjin’s under a lot of pressure. There’s a lot he can’t control right now. He’s got meetings with generals, and tribesleaders, and merchants. He’ll give them orders but they take months to cause effects.” Hoseok gave Jihyo a reassuring smile. “At least when he speaks with you, he knows he’ll see instant results.”

Jihyo handed Hoseok another robe. “The Prince trusts me?”

Hoseok nodded. He placed the robe on the high shelf. “He confided in me how happy is with you. He didn’t think there was a Beta alive to handle his stubborn fiancée.”

Jihyo smiled at the praise. Hoseok smiled at her smile.

There was a knock on Yoongi’s door. Hoseok and Jihyo both turned to the sound.

There stood Jimin, cheeks red, slightly out of breath, cape crooked on his slim shoulders. “Excuse me, Jihyo, do you mind if I speak with Hoseok alone?”

“Not at all, your highness.” Jihyo bowed at Jimin, and waved Hoseok, before leaving the room.

Hoseok waved good bye.

Jimin waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps. He grabbed Hoseok’s arm, unaware of the pain his grip caused. Jimin plead, “Hoseok, please take me into the city.”

Hoseok blinked at him. “Okay… I’ll tell my dad so he can plan an excursion.”

“No, I want to go right now,” Jimin said. He tugged on the sleeves of Hoseok’s robes, “I want to see the city as it is when wolves are living their daily lives.”

Hoseok’s ears fell back against his head. He leaned away from Jimin. “I’m not sure if that’s safe.”

Jimin pulled Hoseok to him. “Please help me. We’ll back before sundown, I promise. The Princes have meetings all day, they won’t even notice that we’re gone.” His crystal blue eyes twinkled. His bottom lip puffed out in a deep pout.

Hoseok groaned. He ran his hands through his hair. He took a deep breath. “I’ll invite Taehyung.””

“Not Tae!” Jimin shouted, “he stands out.”

“Fine,” Hoseok conceded, “At least let me invite Jungkook, he’s trained in combat. “

“Done,” Jimin agreed.

“Meet me by the back gate in thirty minutes. I’ll have old servants robes you can wear.”

“Done,” Jimin said, large smile arcoss his face. “Thank you so much Hoseok.”

He ran down the hall in glee. Hoseok waved at his retreating figure. He sighed, “Stupid, cute Omega.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all the previous stories Jimin's been very passive, he needed a story where he was the active one. Of course Tzuyu would plant the idea in his head, she's been independent since birth.
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for your patience with this series, and with me. I appreciate it <3


	2. Wanderlust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoseok reluctantly takes Jimin into with Jungkook as their bodyguard. Jungkook is too tense, Jimin is too lax, and Hoseok really wishes they could have waited for another day.

If Hoseok could change something about their excursion, he would change the time of the day. Even though the weather was cloudy, he still felt like a bright, guilty beacon walking through the city in high noon. Granted, if Hoseok had any say at all they would not have snuck out of the palace, they would have waited another day to have a properly escorted outing into town. Alas, he had no say in the trip. He had begrudgingly agreed. Hoseok glared at the wolf who birthed the idea.

Jimin turned to Hoseok, with those damn bright blue eyes, and they curved into a smile. He was too fucking happy, he practically bounced with every step.

Hoseok sighed. Stupid, adorable omega. He could never stay mad at him.

As his true wolf, Jimin was even more adorable than he was as human. He was small, as most omegas were, with light tan fur that seemed to shine under the nonexistent sun. His soft tailed wagged happily with every step. He had one ear pointed, while the other ear was folded, he looked as if he was always asking a question which was so fucking cute Hoseok couldn’t stand it. He turned to the last member of their party.

Jungkook, in his wolf form, was long and lean and very, very dark. He was the first pure black wolf that Hoseok had ever seen, and hopefully the only one that Hoseok ever will see. There was something daunting about the absence of color in Jungkook’s shape. He blended easily with the shadows. His yellow eyes caused fear just from a mere gaze. Not for the first time was Hoseok grateful that Jungkook had matured into a Beta, not an Alpha. Thank god those rumors about his birth father were true, otherwise Jungkook may have matured to be the most intimidating wolf to ever live. Jungkook’s wolf form was Jimin’s polar opposite.

Which is why Hoseok was a good mediator for his two companions. He wasn’t long like Jungkook, but he wasn’t stocky like Jimin. He had a dark brown back, with a beige belly and pointed tail. His eyes glowed yellow, but their expression was warmer than Jungkook’s. And he had a permanent soft expression on his muzzle. Still, he would rather be in the palace instead of navigating the streets of the capital.

Jimin, in his excitement, would run ahead of Hoseok, causing the Beta to get nervous. Hoseok would yip, and Jimin would wait for his companions. Jimin was too trusting, he made Hoseok anxious.

On the other hand, Jungkook was tense. His ears were alert, and turn at the slightest sound. He constantly smelled the air, and looked behind them to make sure they weren’t being followed. Hoseok sighed, _Cut that out!_

 _I heard someone,_ Jungkook said via telepathy.

_It was the old Omegas, you know the walk to the fountain together to wash their laundry._

After Hoseok said this, a group of four greying wolves trotted past them, each with their own wicker basket strapped to their back. The smallest carried a small tin bucket filled with soap and rags in her toothless jowl. Jimin paused to watch them pass.

Jungkook tapped Jimin on the shoulder with his muzzle, to encourage the wolf to move. Jimin whined. He continued to walk, his fluffy tail wagged with each step.

Jungkook looked behind them, _What if someone is following us?_

 _No one knows who Jimin is._ Hoseok nodded to Jimin, whom was blissfully unaware of the conversation. Hoseok wished Namjoon had claimed him, so that they could communicate in their true wolves. Sadly the bite doesn’t occur until the first heat after the wedding ceremony.

Jungkook circled around so that he flanked Jimin’s exposed side. Jimin’s eyes widened in surprise, then he playfully nipped Jungkook’s neck. At least he was having fun.

Hoseok headbutted Jimin’s shoulder. He nodded down an alley. Jimin and Jungkook follow him down, the alley, and behind a black iron door. Hoseok led the wolves to the back of an old shop, one ran by the sister in law of one of the housekeeper’s in the palace. A place Hoseok visited on the regular. Hoseok shifted from his wolf first. The process was always painful, his spine realigned itself, his fangs receded. Hoseok hated his wolf form, his body protested the change, and his wolf ears never fully disappeared. Hoseok massaged his neck. He removed the robes from the bag buckled to Jungkook’s back and wore them. Black leggings, black robe, and a black cape. The uniform of a beta from dignity.

Jimin cocked his head in question. Hoseok sighed, “The wolves in the marketplace know me.”

He held up a blanket and turned his face away, to give Jimin privacy to change.

For Jimin, Hoseok had brought dull blue robes, that went all the way up to his neck, and black leggings. He had briefly considered borrowing a servant’s all black uniform, but knew there was no way for Jimin to pass as anything less than low ranking nobility. Jimin’s hormones were too strong, his dialect too proper, and his hair too clean to pass for a common wolf. Hoseok hoped to pass Jimin off as the fiancé to a landowning Alpha or something of that status.

As always, the Northern blue looked good on the small Southern wolf. Jimin’s brilliant crystal colored eyes were further highlighted by the blue robes. “Hoseok do you mind helping me with the knots?” Jimin asked. He held up the tassels at the collar of his garment.

“I’ll do it,” Jungkook said.

Hoseok jumped, he hadn’t seen Jungkook shift into a human.

Jungkook stepped up to Jimin and began to tie tassels at his neck. “Hoseok may be a royal Beta, but he’s useless when it comes to robes.”

Hoseok frowned, “I didn’t attend dressing classes.”

“Even if you did, you’d still be terrible,” Jungkook retaliated.

Hoseok chose to ignore him.

Jungkook had slipped on his leggings, for the sake of decency, but had yet to put on his robes revealing pale skin stretched over a toned chest. Hoseok found it unfair. It was normally very difficult for a Beta to have that kind of muscle definition, yet Jungkook reached it with ease. It’s a shame he didn’t mature into an Alpha.

“Thank you,” Jimin said when Jungkook finished.

Jungkook said nothing. He handed Jimin the boots they had borrowed for him. Hoseok hoped they fit.

Jimin’s face was pressed to the cracked walls of the wooden store, an attempt at peaking into the shop, so that he could see everything in the marketplace. Jimin giggled, “There are so many wolves.”

He smiled up at Hoseok, his blue eyes alight with excitement.

Hoseok sighed. He had reservations about the whole trip, but Jimin’s happiness made the whole almost worth the risk.

Jungkook changed into thick white robes and black leggings. He refused to wear the all black Beta uniform in the marketplace. He slung the bag over his shoulder.

“Let’s go,” Jimin said.

Hoseok grabbed Jimin’s wrist. Jimin pulled it from reach. He scowled at Hoseok.

“What?” Hoseok asked.

“I did not say you could touch me,” Jimin scolded, “I’m still a prince.” Then he ran into the shop.

Jungkook snorted.

Hoseok glared.

Jungkook shrugged, “He’s right you know.”

Hoseok rolled his eyes, “Come on. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can go home.”

He held the door open for Jungkook, and they both followed the excited Prince.

~~

 

 

The lesser meeting room was embedded deep into the middle of the palace, built with the purpose of being far from all entrances. It doubled as a hiding place for the royal family in case of an invasion. This second purpose had yet to be tested.

The walls were covered with beige tiles, so that the occupants would not be distracted from their discussions. The only decoration was a tapestry that hung on the wall across from where Seokjin sat to his father’s right. On the tapestry was the mountain range, the brightest star in the sky, and a silver wolf howling at the moon. Seokjin briefly admired the stitching, before writing another note.

To the right of Seokjin sat Namjoon, his back ramrod straight, his sleeves folded back, so that they didn’t smear his notes. This also expanded the ink stains on his arm. Though Namjoon was a thorough writer, he was never a neat one, he would have to rewrite his notes later that night, so that they were more legible.

The table in the meeting room had enough room for fourteen wolves. Today, it only occupied eight. It was in preparation for the meeting with the ambassador from overseas and his counsel later that week.

The King coughed into his fist. The wolves stopped their writing and turned to face him. He gave the room a steely glance, then spoke, with a commanding voice that reverberated through the room, “To summarize, we will discuss the fine details with the Ambassador from overseas on the 14th, so that the transfer of position from he, himself, to his niece, Princess Sana, goes smoothly. Please prepare all inquiries you may have for him on that date. We will table the discussion of constructing an Academy in the East for the next meeting. All those in favor?”

The wolves raised their hands, though Seokjin’s was reluctant.

“Those opposed?”

Everyone put their hands down.

“Meeting adjourned,” the King said.

The royal Beta finished the notes from the meeting. The other wolves stretched their arms, and slowly started leaving the room.

“Seokjin.”

Seokjin turned to his father.

The King cracked his neck.  “I expect progress on your project by the next meeting.”

Seokjin nodded, “Yes, sir.”

The King stood up and left the room, the royal Beta trailed behind him.

Seokjin slumped onto the table, he groaned.

“So our father was serious when he said you would be in charge of the education project in the East,” Namjoon mused out loud, he edited his notes as he spoke.

“Of course he was. Now that Yoongi is my fiancé I have the most connections,” Seokjin turned, so that his cheek pressed against the cool surface of the marble table, “We’re going to the East next month, to see potential building sites.”

“That’s great. When will construction start for the University?” Namjoon asked.

“Not for a while,” Seokjin said with a sigh, “There’s an unprecedented amount of pushback from the local tribes. They worry that they’ll lose their way of life because of our attempts at modernization. The culture is oral, the elders refuse to learn the alphabet,” – Namjoon’s eyebrows shot up in surprise- “For now we’re starting with a small school in Yoongi’s village, but we aren’t allowed to teach reading and writing. They feel more like organized apprenticeships than actual institutions for knowledge.” Seokjin’s ears appeared a top his head.

Namjoon patted his back in sympathy, “These things take time.”

“I know…”

There was a knock on the marble surface. The princes looked at the wolf across from them. He was the Alpha of Agriculture, a wolf whom the incoming Ambassador was very excited to work with, and had personally requested he be in all future meetings. He was a younger wolf, with sharp red eyes, and deep brown hair. “Your excellencies,” he spoke, “do you mind is we discuss a rumor?”

“We’re not old Omegas,” Seokjin dismissed.

“I wouldn’t share if it wasn’t alarming,” the Agricultural Alpha persisted.

Seokjin growled lightly, spurred by being challenged. Namjoon squeezed his brother’s shoulder, he did not need to break up a fight caused by stupid Alpha dominance. Seokjin sneered at Namjoon. Namjoon gestured to the Alpha of Agriculture, “Please share with us.”

“When my Beta went to the marketplace yesterday, she heard a story about two lone Omegas being attacked in broad delight.”

Namjoon’s back stiffened, “That is alarming.”

“Did she describe the attackers?” Seokjin asked. He leaned across the table in interest.

“Spineless Betas, ones who get off from bullying Omegas but run away when they smell an Alpha,” he explained, “But weak Betas can overpower even a strong Omega.”

Seokjin’s ears twitched atop his head.

“If we hear of more attacks, we will have a discussion with the police chief,” Namjoon reassured.

The Alpha of Agriculture bowed, then left the room.

Namjoon chewed on his ink pen.

“Really Joonie? Why would you indulge in this?” Seokjin whined.

“What if it’s true?” Namjoon asked, “Didn’t Jihyo describe a similar incident the other day.”

“She heard it from the chatty housekeeper who spends all of her time in the city,” Seokjin scoffed, “It’s marketplace gossip. The citizens make stuff up when the city is peaceful.”

Namjoon slammed his notebook shut. “We should listen while it’s only a rumor. Before the situation escalates and the citizens distrust us for not believing them.”

Namjoon walked out of the room. Seokjin huffed, but he stood and followed his brother. The rumor interested him, like the old horror stories their mom’s Beta used to tell them when they were pups. The were false horrors. That was all.

~~

 

 

From what little Jimin has seen of the North, he assumed that all houses had steep pointed roofs. The buildings in the capital did, the palace had multiple steeps, and even then the tents in the marketplace ended in a point. In the South, the rooftops were either domed or flat. Jimin knew there was a reason for the steeped roofs, he just didn’t know what that reason was. Maybe he could ask Namjoon or Dahyun. Right now, he had more important matters in which to attend.

Jimin pulled on the sleeves of the dull blue robe, the one Hoseok lent him, so that he covered his hands. His fingertips were freezing, as were his cheeks, but he didn’t want to go inside, not when he had a whole marketplace full of wolves to explore.

The marketplace took place in the courtyard in the center of town. Jimin knew this because Hoseok had told him, and he recognized the square fountains from Chaeyoung’s drawing. Chaeyoung hadn’t drawn the koi fish in the water, whether this was out of laziness or time constraints Jimin didn’t know. A youn pup jumped in one of the fountains, and his poor mother ran in after him and pulled him out of the water by the scruff of his neck. His fur was soaked, his ears turned downward, and his tail was between his legs. He whined as his mother scolded him. Jimin’s cheeks hurt from smiling.

Jimin stood next to Hoseok as he haggled with an old Omega for fabrics. He offered, “20 bronze for 2 yards of fabric.”

The old Omega scoffed, “Each yard is worth 15 bronze, I’d lose money.”

JImin’s gaze fell onto the booth across from theirs, the tent was filled with various leather goods.

“This poor craftsmanship isn’t even worth 20. It’s criminal how you swindle these wolves.” Hoseok huffed.

The Old Omega gave him a wrinkled smile. She leaned across the table, one arthritic hand stroked the patterned fabric, “I’ll sell it for 25” -Hoseok smiled in triumph- “if you share a story with me.”

Hoseok’s smile fell. “22?”

“You know what I want. A little gossip in exchange for fabric.”

Hoseok sighed. He looked behind him, where Jimin had walked to the leather tent and Jungkook stood right behind him. Hoseok leaned across the table. He whispered, “The Princess has taken on a lover. She gave the Beta a silver bracelet. The Queens worries that her daughter may be serious about this relationship.”

The Old Omega practically purred, “This lover, are they royal?”

“They’re a beta.”

The Omega handed over the fabric, “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“May the gods smite thee.” Hoseok huffed, he handed her the 25 bronze pieces.

Across from the fabric at the tent, at the leather tent, Jimin admired several different shoulder bags. Jimin held up the one with the rose burned on to the flap.

“My daughter made that one,” the fat Alpha who ran the shop said, “Hers are more artistic than practical.”

“I admire her handiwork,” Jimin examined the inside, “My Beta was classically trained in the arts, she and your daughter would get along well.”

The old Alpha spoke again, “She and her brother are taking over the family business. He made the belts.”

Jimin looked at the hanging belts on display. He gave the Alpha a smile, the one where his eyes curved into crescents, “You must be proud.”

“I am,” the old Alpha smiled back at Jimin. “I’ll take 10 coins off the price of the bag.”

Jimin pulled the necessary bronze coins from the pouch on his hip. “You are very kind.”

The Alpha took the coins, he leaned on his display table, “This may be forward, but are you from the South?”

Jimin’s cheeks curved into a smile, “What gave me away?”

“The accent, and those beautiful eyes of yours,” the Alpha spoke, “You know, my daughter is single. She’ll inherit the house, it has three stories, and an acre of land.”

Jungkook growled lowly in his throat. Jimin elbowed him in the ribs. “I’m flattered, but I’m engaged.”

The Alpha’s red eyes bore down on Jungkook. “His Alpha I assume,” he sneered at Jungkook. Then fixed a pleasant smile on Jimin, “I hope you have a happy marriage.”

“Thank you,” Jimin said.

He dragged Jungkook away from the leather tent before a fight could break out. “Control your hormones,” Jimin scolded Jungkook.

“He was trying to marry you his daughter,” Jungkook hissed. “She’s probably ugly.”

Jimin slapped him on the arm. “You stop that. I will not have my day ruined because of a wolf picking a fight he can’t win.”

“I’d win that fight,” Jungkook smirked. Jimin slapped his arm again. Jungkook whined.

“I’m going to check out the cart. Try to behave while I’m gone,” Jimin said.

Jungkook pouted, but he shook his head in affirmation.

Jimin practically skipped as he walked to the food cart.

Jungkook leaned against the square fountain. He didn’t understand it, at all. Shopping with Seokjin was always a chore. Shopping with Hoseok was fun when he would haggle with the shopkeepers, and whenever they visited the Eastern shore Yoongi get in at least 3 fights per shopping trip. But here… nothing interesting happened.

Jungkook’s eyes zeroed in on a Beta on a long brown robe that went past his hands. He paced back and forth by the one of the fountains, eyes flitting ever so often on the food cart Jimin was currently at.

Jungkook frowned. He shook go to the wolf, but Jimin would be upset if he got in another fight. And the wolf wasn’t doing anything. He debated with himself.

Jimin returned, he held a bag of roasted nuts out to Jungkook.

“How much did they cost?” Jungkook asked as he took one.

“Nothing. I got them for free.”

“Did you steal them?”

“No, he gave them to me.” Jimin waved at the Beta pushing the court. A big goofy grin spread across the Beta’s face.

Jungkook snorted, “You are too cute for your own good.”

“It’s my eyes. They trick people into trusting me,” Jimin said with a chuckle.

Jungkook would argues, but the crystal blue eyes really were enchanting. And there was something else, maybe it was the Omega hormones but something about Jimin made him approachable and trustworthy. Jungkook knew that wasn’t the case for all Omegas, maybe it was a royal thing? Or a Southern thing? Jungkook wasn’t sure.

Jimin offered him the bag of roast nuts again. Jungkook gazed over the crowd of wolves as he ate another one. The suspicious wolf had disappeared.

“So, does that this remind of your own Capital?” he asked.

“Nope,” Jimin said, he popped another nut in his mouth.

Jungkook tsked, “This marketplace can’t be that much different. The climates may vary, but from my experience most big cities share similarities.”

Jimin’s chewing slowed. He spoke softly. “I… I never got to see the marketplace this intimately… or anywhere else back home...”

Jungkook looked at Jimin. Jimin turned to face him. His eyes were blank as they stared at the cobblestoned ground, his mind occupied elsewhere.

“My parents were overprotective. For a reason, it took many tries for my mom to be pregnant with me,” Jimin smiled fondly when he spoke of his parents, “But because of that difficulty, they never let me out into the city… or anywhere… I knew the labyrinth in the palace gardens like the back of my hand, but I never knew how to get from city hall, to the butcher shop, or even the Beta Academy.” His smile fell, “I knew my parents meant well, but I felt trapped. The reason I finally agreed to marry was so that I would have more freedom.”

They had stopped walking.

Wolves wandered from tent. Excited pups wove between the crowds. Loud Betas shouted prices.

But Jungkook and Jimin were quiet. Jimin’s grip on the bag of nuts, his mind somewhere else, not in the North, somewhere warm and as familiar as it was a stranger to him. Some place that he still called home and yet never truly knew.

Jimin rubbed at his eyelids. He apologized to Jungkook, “Sorry to bother you.”

“Don’t be,” Jungkook said, “I understand how much this means to you.”

Jimin gave him a small smile.

Jungkook straightened his back, and held a fist to the center of his chest. He smirked as he boasted. “Your parents need not worry. I was trained in combat by the palace’s finest soldiers.”  

Unbeknownst to him, Hoseok had walked behind him in time to catch the end of Jimin’s speech, and all of Jungkook’s brag. Hoseok slapped Jungkook in the back of the head. “Don’t announce that,” Hoseok scolded, “You’ll blow our cover.”

“You’re the one who said all the wolves in town know you,” Jungkook whined. He rubbed the back of his head, more out of shock than pain.

“Still! They might guess the identity of our _Jimin_ ,” Hoseok said between his teeth. It went Hoseok’s upbringing to refer to Jimin without a title. He had expected to be reprimanded. Instead he heard Jimin’s melodic laughter.

“I know this was risky,” Jimin said. “Thank you for taking me out.”

Hoseok gave a Jimin a heart shaped smile. “You’re welcome.”

Jimin beamed. He led them both through the crowds of wolves.

He didn’t notice the glowing yellow eyes that followed them.

~~

 

 

Taehyung pressed his cheek against the cold tile floor. He sniffled. It was too cold. He supposed he could light one of the torches. But that required standing up, finding the flint, accidentally setting his robed sleeve on fire, flailing his arms, honestly the whole process was more effort than it was worth.

Taehyung turned, so that his left cheek pressed to the floor instead of the right. He was at eye level with Mistletoe the rabbit. The rabbit’s nose twitched. Taehyung tried twitching his nose. Mistletoe hopped. Taehyung held out his hand to Mistletoe’s face.

Mistletoe’s ears perked. He stood up on his hindlegs, his front paws hung in front of him, his pressed his tiny pink little nose to Taehyung’s pointer finger. Taehyung bit back a squeal, scared to scare away the rabbit. Mistletoe landed on all fours and hopped away from Taehyung.

Taehyung pouted, “Why don’t you love me? I saved you from death.”

He turned over, so that he lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling. His robes were halfway off his shoulders. Taehyung never did learn how to tie them properly. He had to agree with Jimin, Northern robes had too many layers and knots, too complicated. It’s much easier to walk around naked. But was that Taehyung, Beta to the second Prince of the North, saying that? Or was it the Taehyung who never existed, the one who would have been raised in a savage pack in the woods and only changed into a human when he absolutely necessary, the Taehyung who would have existed if he hadn’t been born with lavender fur?

Taehyung released a long breath. He would never know the answer.

The door opened with a loud creak. Then an indignant stomp of a foot.

“What are you doing in Prince Jimin’s room?”

Taehyung recognized. Jimin’s academy trained Beta Chayoung. He sighed. He really didn’t have the energy for her right now.

“He’s not here,” Taehyung said.

“Good. It would be improper for you to be alone with him,” Chaeyoung said with a huff.

“Relax, I’m not the kind of wolf to get friendly with a royal.”

It was a pointed statement. Chaeyoung chose to ignore it. She brushed her bangs behind her ears, a thin silver bracelet adorned her wrist, “Have you seen Prince Jimin?”

Taehyung shrugged. “He hasn’t been here all afternoon.”

“And you know this because,” she waited for Taehyung to fill in the answer.

“Namjoonie was in meetings all day. They’re boring, so I came to play with Mistletoe,” Taehyung explained. He rolled over, his robes fell further down his shoulders and caught at his elbows. “Where were you?”

“At a robe fitting,” Chaenyoung answered.

“Really?” Taehyung asked, his tone suggestive.

Chaeyoung glared at Taehyung, “Really. I’ve been avoiding it because your Northern robes are stupidly complicated.”

Chaeyoung currently wore a deep red southern robe, one that only had to be slipped on over her head and tied around the waist. It was, however, too short for the cold weather. She wore black leggings underneath, so as not to freeze.

“They are,” Taehyung agreed. He would pull up the collar, but he didn’t care anymore. “Why don’t you ask Hoseokie? He usually knows where everyone is.”

“I haven’t seen him either, I assumed he was at the meetings,” Chaeyoung answered. She admired her reflection in Jimin’s vanity. Her eyeliner was smudged in the corner. She smoothed it out with her thumb.

Taehyung shook his head, “They didn’t need him, his dad was the scribe today. Jungkookie wasn’t invited either.”

Chaeyoung stopped admiring her reflection. “Was the Princess at the meeting too?”

Taehyung scoffed, “Tzuyu hates that royal stuff. She’d rather be on the practice range.”

“I was just there to look for Jimin,” Chaeyoung said. Her eyes widened in panic She turned to Taehyung, “Where is everybody?”

Taehyung stiffened. He didn’t know.

~~

 

 

A block down from the marketplace was a street full of artisanal shops. Hoseok grimaced when they passed the blacksmith’s shop. The large wolf working there was covered in ash and had a nasty burn on his arm. He stuck a sword into the hot flames.

Hoseok suggested, “Maybe we should go somewhere else?

“Spoiled,” Jungkook said.

Hoseok glared, “Do you want a new knife?”

Jungkook looked over the display. “I prefer my fangs for the kill.”

Hoseok shuddered.

Across the street was a shop with an open display window, revealing various precious stones on necklaces and rings.

Jimin’s eyes were drawn to sparkly things. He tugged on the end of Jungkook’s robe and pointed at the shop. Jungkook and Hoseok followed him in the store.

A tall wolf, with light brown hair, leaned against the outside of the jeweler’s shop, his hands in the pocket of his front robes, and his leg kicked against the wall.

It was warm inside, Jimin was grateful for the firepits, and empty except for a young Omega, in simple blue robes, behind the display table.

She put on a smile when she saw them enter. “Can I help you with anything?” she asked.

Jimin shook his head, “No thank you, we’re browsing.”

The Omega nodded. Jungkook looked up at the same time she did accidentally locking gazes with her. Her eyes widened at the same Jungkook recognized her from the day Namjoon went shopping for a ring. She opened her mouth to speak, but Jungkook held a finger to his lips, the universal sign to stay quiet. The young Omega clasped her hands over her mouth.

Hoseok and Jimin poured over the display. “They’re lovely,” Jimin said in awe.

“Are they similar to where you’re from?” Hoseok asked.

“Not at all,” Jimin answered, “Our necklaces don’t have long chains.”

“The Northern robes are high cut, short chains would make our necks look cluttered,” the Omega said once she had regained composure.

“You’re very observant,” Jimin said with a smile.

The young Omega’s cheeks turned pink. “My Aunt is a seamstress. She and my father work closely together for engagements and presentation ceremonies…. They have yet to be asked to work a wedding.”

Jimin frowned at that. Hoseok spoke, “Mister spoiled here doesn’t realize that most wolves don’t get formally married.”

“They don’t?” Jimin asked, genuinely shocked.

The shopkeeper hid her laugh behind her hands.

“A claim is a private thing. Engagement ceremonies are where the big money is spent. Only nobility get fancy wedding ceremonies,” Hoseok explained.

In retrospect, it made sense. Jimin still burned under the shame of not knowing that information.

He looked back down at the display table, where a pair of silver studded earrings caught his eye. Chaeyoung’s ears weren’t pierced. He couldn’t remember if Namjoon’s were…

“Do you think he’d like a bracelet?” Jimin mumbled, mostly to himself, partially to whoever was listening.

Jungkook cocked his head in confusion, but Hoseok knew.

He smiled slightly. “He doesn’t wear the ones he does have.”

“Alphas don’t usually wear rings…” Jimin chewed on his lower lip.

The young shopkeeper picked up his realization. If she smiled any wider Jungkook would have to fight her, she +as on the brink of revealing of Jimin’s identity to an empty shop.

She spoke, “Maybe your fiancé would like a broach for his cape?”

Jimin frowned, “How-”

She interrupted, “It’s a rare that an Omega reaches your age and isn’t claimed. You’re too beautiful to be a spinster, ergo you should be engaged.” She explained, briefly making eye contact with Jungkook. She continued, “Black capes are terribly boring, broaches are the latest trend to excite an outfit.”

Jimin thought of Namjoon, when he left for a meeting in his black cape. It was dull. He looked at the section of the table that had all of their broaches on display. His eyes were drawn to a star, with a silver chain to look like a trail. He was reminded of the first time he met Namjoon.

“Can you wrap this one for me?” Jimin asked, he pointed to the star broach.

Her eyes curved into crescents, she took the broach took the bag, so that she could wrap it in paper.

“Is that for a certain silver haired wolf?” Hoseok asked, already knowing the answer.

Jimin’s cheeks burned slightly, “I didn’t get him anything for our engagement. My parents chose their gifts.”

“You know what his favorite gift is?” Hoseok asked.

Jimin tilted his head.

“You.”

“Hoseok, that’s a mean joke,” Jimin scolded.

“It’s the truth,” Hoseok whined.

Jimin ignore him. He turned to Jungkook, “See anything you like? I’ll pay for it.”

Jungkook shook his head. “I’m a wolf of simple pleasures. I like white robes worn with black leggings, combat training, and the weekly hunt.”

Hoseok slung an arm around Jungkook, a feat considering Jungkook’s unfair height advantage, and smiled when he said, “What Jungkook wants can’t be bought. He can only count down the days until the royal wedding.”

His companions turned to him with confused glares, Jungkook raised an eyebrow in question. Hoseok’s smile grew wider, “For all the wolves in the land are invited, including a foreign Alpha-” Jungkook’s eyes widened in realization- “and her very beautiful translator.”

Jimin’s own face curved into a smile, “Really?”

Jungkook tried to lean away from Hoseok. Hoseok’s grip on Jungkook’s shoulder tightened. “Really. Our sweet baby Jungkookie has got himself a crush.” Hoseok pulled on Jungkook’s cheek.

Jungkook looked as if he would bite him.

“Are you going to court her,” Jimin leaned on Jungkook’s open side as he asked this.

“Court her,” Hoseok scoffed, “He almost pissed his robe when he tried talking to her.”

Jungkook’s face burned red.

“We should have them sit together at the wedding,” Jimin suggested.

“Sit me across from them. I want to see him stutter.”

“Mind your own business!” Jungkook pushed Hoseok and Jimin off him. He stormed down the center. “Let’s go home already! You saw what you wanted.”

Jimin and Hoseok laughed as they watched Jungkook storm off, his back hunched over, and his black ears flattened against and his long tail dragging across the ground.

“Were we too mean?” Jimin asked, still smiling, “His ears only come out when he’s embarrassed.”

“Nah, the brat needs thicker skin,” Hoseok snickered. He looked up at the sky. It was fading a foggy grey to a deep blue, “He has a point. We should head back to the palace soon.”

“Let me pay for this first,” Jimin said.

The young Omega returned with a ribbon tied parcel.  Jimin counted out the exact money and handed it to her. Their hands brushed, she bit back a scream.

Jimin and Hoseok found Jungkook pacing outside the jeweler’s shop.

“Come on, you take too long,” Jungkook huffed.

“Someone is a grumpy butt,” Hoseok said.

“Only Taehyung thinks that language is cute,” Jungkook stormed through an alley in the direction of the palace. Jimin had trouble keeping up with him.

A Beta at the blacksmith’s shop watched the party leave down an alleyway. She elbowed the caped wolf next to her and nodded at the passage. The caped wolf turned to wear her companion had directed.

In the alley, Hoseok was doing his best to change Jungkook’s sour expression. “Come on Jungkookie, we only want you to be happy.”

“I am happy,”” Jungkook shouted.

“I hate to see you when you’re angry,” Jimin teased.

Jungkook glared. Jimin laughed. Hoseok stuck his tongue, too engrossed in teasing Jungkook to pay attention to their surroundings. He didn’t notice the two other wolves in the alley until he bumped into one. “Excuse me,” he said.

Instead of stepping out of the way, the tall wolf stood his ground and growled.

Hoseok stilled, he looked around the street. One wolf, a silver haired one, stepped up next to Jimin and another blocked the entrance. Jungkook took a step closer to Jimin, to protect the young Omega, and bared his fangs at the wolf blocking the entrance. Jungkook recognized him. He was the one in the long brown robes that had been acting suspicious in the marketplace.

The Beta, the leader, only smiled, baring his own fangs in the action. “I was surprised when I saw an Omega buying a lot of things in the marketplace, but I didn’t know he was so clean.” The leader, his yellow eyes had a sinister glint, stepped toward Jimin. Jimin froze on the spot. The leader looked Jimin up and down, “He’s so clean, I wonder which rich lord he’s engaged to?”

He reached out to touch Jimin’s face, but Jungkook grabbed his wrist. “Obviously it’s not a scum like you,” Jungkook snarled.

“Who ya calling scum?” The leader growled back. His friends took an offensive stance.

Hoseok raised his arms in surrender. “Hey friends, let’s not get carried away. If you let us pass we’ll leave you alone.”

The one in the middle, the tallest one, guffawed, “Buddy, you’re not in the position to make requests.”

“We won’t tell the cops if you let us go,” Hoseok tried a different approach.

“We’re not trying to cause trouble,” the leader said.

Jungkook pushed Jimin behind him, “You’ve found it.”

“We’ve never seen an unclaimed Omega as pretty as him,” the leader said.

Jimin shivered.

Jungkook growled, “Don’t look at him like that.”

“Like what?” the tallest one asked, his ears protruded from his head.

“Like you want to mount him in this alley, you lecherous fuck.”

The tallest one tensed to lunge, but the leader held him back. He spoke again, “Careful, that mouth will get you killed.”

“I like my odds,” Jungkook said with a smirk

“Two betas against three,” the leader snorted, “Not likely.”

“What if we join the mix?”

They turned the entrance of the alley. There stood Princess Tzuyu, her red eyes ablaze, and Jeongyeon, both in brown civilian clothing. Tzuyu’s discarded cape was on the ground.

“How would you fight against three Betas, and an Alpha?” Tzuyu asked.

Jeongyeon cracked her neck for emphasis.

The tallest wolf growled again. The leader seemed to hesitate. The one in front of Hoseok, the one who had been quiet for the entire exchange, changed the dynamics in one swift motiong. He dug his claws into Jimin’s arm and pulled the small wolf to his chest. He pressed his extended claws to Jimin’s neck. “Leave or the Omega gets killed!”

Jungkook snarled, Hoseok gripped his arm to hold him back. His mind ran through all the possibilities.

The leader of the Betas had sweat dripping down his forehead, he muttered, “This wasn’t the plan…”

“Your plan was taking too long,” the quiet one shouted. Jimin felt the reverberations against his back. It was becoming harder to breathe.

Tzuyu took a power stance. “You’re arrogant.”

Jimin looked at everyone. He felt the sharp point of the quiet one’s claws on his throat. Jungkook’s snarls grew louder with each breath, Hoseok could only hold him back for so long. The tallest one was huffing as well. He had dropped to all four and looked one minute away from shifting to his true wolf. Jeongyeon had assumed a power stance like Tzuyu. They all looked ready for a brawl, ready for a fight. They could all die.

Jimin took a deep breath. “If I give you my coin purse will you let us go?”

The Beta holding him hostage looked to the leader. He let out a breath of relied. “We can look the other way, if you have enough.”

Jimin unhooked his coin purse from his belt and tossed it to the leader. The leader caught it one handed. He opened it, examined the contents, then nodded to his two companions.

The quiet one released his grip on Jimin, Jimin exhaled the breath he had been holding, and pushed him into Hoseok’s arms.

“Pleasure doing business,” the leader said. Then he and the two betas ran down the alley. Jungkook remained tense until he could no longer see them. Hoseok examined Jimin, “Are you okay.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Jimin reassured him.

“No, we should worry,” Jeongyeon pushed past Hoseok. She held up Jimin’s arm, the one the wolf had dug his claws into. He had left three deep gashes on Jimin’s arm that were bleeding profusely. In his shock, Jimin hadn’t noticed.

Hoseok hissed, “Let’s get back to the palace. Now.”

Tzuyu pulled a scrap of fabric from the pocket of her robe and tied it around the wound. She then picked up her cape off the ground and put it on Jimin. “Your hormones attract too much attention.”

Jimin cradled his arm to his chest. He spoke in a small voice, “I’m sorry.”

Hoseok shushed him, “You did nothing wrong.”

Jungkook hugged Jimin. They all started their journey back to the palace.

~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weddings are considered excess, and something exclusively for nobility. The engagement ceremonies are what most wolves celebrate. It's a formal celebration to announce a future claim. Claims are considered very intimate moments and are therefore held privately in one's own home. Engagement ceremonies are an informal claim until an Omega's next neat arrives. Sometimes, spurned Alphas will use the engagement ceremony as a timeline for when they can claim a soon to be mated Omega. This is frowned upon.
> 
> Betas don't have to be in heat to be claimed. Most Betas are claimed to another Beta. Alphas will try to court Omegas as soon as they present, because they are the only ones who can birth Alphas. An Alpha who has a lot of pups who mature into Alphas is considered prosperous.   
> Alternatively, Betas can get a free artisanal education, if and only if, it is guaranteed that they mature into Betas. This is how wolves as young as Chaeyoung can have a full education, they start their specialization at a young age.  
> Unless an Omega comes from a wealthy family, they are not educated :(
> 
> It's mentioned in "Bright Eyes" but Jimin's parents had eight miscarriages in the time between his birth and that of his older brother. What wasn't mentioned was that those three of those miscarriages were actually still born, and one was fully born only to die a week later. Jimin's birth wasn't announced to the kingdom, in case he died shortly after. Once the King and Queen realized he was going to live, they were very protective of him. His only excursions were to formal parties, or the occasional, very planned and heavily guarded, trips to Capital. Jimin's outing today is his first true free experience.
> 
> Tzuyu totally breaks out of the palace all the time. Seokjin taught her how.


	3. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The escape party returns to the palace. Fights break out. But in the end, Jimin starts to feel like he belongs in the North

The cold breeze whipped through Namjoon’s fur. He was grateful for his thick coat, otherwise he would have been too cold to continue his search. He wondered if Jimin was warm enough. Southern wolves weren’t made for the cold winters. Namjoon whimpered at the thought of a shivering Jimin. He needed to find Jimin.

Namjoon smelled the bullseye on the hunting grounds. Jimin’s scent lingered on the arrow, but it was feint.

_Namjoonie!_

Namjoon whipped his head back. Taehyung, long and lanky and lilac, ran up to the hunting grounds.

 _What is it?_ Namjoon asked, via telepathy.

Taehyung stopped in front of Namjoon, He panted into the dirt. _They were found._

Namjoon stood up straighter.

Taehyung barked in delight. _Jiminnie was with Jungkookie, Hoseokie and her highness Tzuyu. The head bodyguard caught them sneaking in when he was patrolling the grounds._ Taehyung’s tail wagged behind him. _They’re in the foyer right now._

Namjoon leapt past Taehyung. His heartbeat erratic both with fear and joy. Jimin was back! He was alive and he was back, and Namjoon had to see him right now.

Taehyung trailed behind Namjoon, equally as excited to see his friends.

 

 

 

 

 

Hobeom, a large Alpha with a red scar over his right cheek, and the silver medallion of the head bodyguard pinned to the front of his robe, paced slowly in front of the escape party.

He passed Hoseok, who’s head hung low in shame.

Hobeom spoke, “Reckless.” Hoseok flinched.

Jimin crossed his arms behind his back, to hide his injury.

Hobeom spoke, “Dangerous.”

Jeongyeon chewed her lower lip and hoped Tzuyu looked apologetic, otherwise the head bodyguard would yell at her later for failing to teach the princess manners.

“Stupid.”

Tzuyu stood tall, she looked down at the ground to feign shame, but was really thinking about what she wanted for dinner.

“Callous.”

Jungkook looked the head bodyguard in the eyes. The head bodyguard stared him down. He crossed his arms, and spoke from deep within his chest, “Your thoughtless actions put the lives of the Southern Prince and our own Princess in harm’s way. However, I shouldn’t have expected anything from a bastard nomad pup.”

Jungkook spat in his face.

Jimin and Hoseok gasped, Jeongyeon’s jaw dropped, Tzuyu whistled in appraisal.

The bodyguard wiped the spit off his cheek, looked at the saliva, then slapped Jungkook across the face. “You insolent brat.”

Jungkook’s cheek stung red, he didn’t look away from Hobeom.

The bodyguard pulled back his arm to strike again.  

Jimin jumped in front of Jungkook, with his arms spread wide. He looked up at the bodyguard and shouted, “Don’t hurt him! This was all my idea, I begged them to take me!”

The bodyguard sighed, he lowered his arm. He spoke, in a softer voice than the one used for Jungkook, “Your highness, I understand that you’re soft, and care for all wolves,” he placed a hand on Jimin’s shoulder, “But you don’t have to protect this low life.”

Tzuyu sneered. Jungkook growled.

Jimin took a deep breath, his gaze intensified. He spoke with all the authority of his status. “I am not the infallible Omega you think I am.”

Hoseok’s eyes opened impossibly wide. Jeongyeon bit back a smile.

Jimin pushed the Alpha’s hand off his shoulder. “I made a mistake. I forced them to come out with me tonight. If you’re going to punish them, then it’s only fair that you punish me too.” Jimin then got on his knees, and held his arms in the air. A position he had seen the housekeeping wolves assume when they were about to be hit.

The head bodyguard floundered.

Tzuyu did the same, she got on her knees and held her arms in the air. She looked the bodyguard in the eyes and said, “Do it, if you dare.”

Jungkook dropped to his knees, as well as Jeongyeon. After a moment’s hesitation, Hoseok did the same.

The head bodyguard swept over the wolves in front of him, his gaze paused on Jimin’s determined expression.  Jimin didn’t waver.

The bodyguard looked away. “Go to your rooms.  “I’ll be sure to discuss this with the king.” He walked down the hallway.

When the bodyguard was no longer visible, all tension left their bodies and they lowered their arms. Hoseok collapsed on the cold tile floor. “I thought we were going to die.”

Jeongyeon jumped up in excitement, “I’ve never seen anyone challenge him before! Not even the princes!”

Jimin’s hands trembled from the adrenaline that still coursed through his body.

Jungkook held out his hands to Jimin. Jimin took them and was pulled to a standing position.

Half of Jungkook’s face was red, but with how brilliantly he was smiling it was easy to ignore. “Thank you for standing up for me.”

Tzuyu patted Jimin’s back. “You’re… you’ll do great here.”

Jimin smiled, first from relief, then from joy. His eyes curved into crescents. “Thank you.”

Hoseok joined the celebration party. He was still anxious from the encounter, but he had never seen Jimin look happier. Hoseok knew his father would properly reprimand him later, but maybe it was all worth it, just for Jimin’s little jump, and Jungkook’s relief.

 

 

 

 

 

Jimin sat cross legged on his wide bed. He stared down at the tile floor. He tugged at the wraps on his arm. He glanced at Chaeyoung.

She stood in front of him, arms crossed, feet apart, and the most intense glare Jimin had ever seen in his life directed at him.

He looked back down at the floor. “I’m sorry.”

“Your mom would have killed me if you died,” her first words to him. He felt their weight on his shoulders.

“I know.”

“I would have killed you if you died!”

“I…” Jimin looked up at Chaeyoung’s face. Tears welled at the corners of her eyes. Jimin sighed, “I know.”

He stood up and opened his arms. She fell into them. She gripped the fabric on the back of his robes and sobbed into his shoulder.

Jimin stroked Chaeyoung’s hair. “I’ll take you with me next time I go into the city.”

“Yeah, you better…” Chaeyoung sniffed. She pulled back and rubbed at the tears on her cheek. “Or else I’ll tell your mom about this. She’ll drag you back to the capital by your tail.”

“I’ll deserve it.” Jimin gave a half smile.

Chaeyoung didn’t return the smile. She slapped his shoulder.

Jimin’s smile turned sheepish.

Chaeyoung opened her mouth, ready to scold him all over again, but at that moment there was a knock on the door. She took a deep breath, an attempt to compose herself, then cracked open the door. She saw Namjoon through the crack.

“Prince Namjoon,” she greeted, a little too loudly so that Jimin could hear, “What are you doing here?”

Jimin’s eyes widened in panic. He quickly pulled a shawl over his robes, to hide the blood stains and the wound on his arm.

Namjoon’s robes had dirt and dry grass on them. He chewed on his lower lip, “Is Prince Jimin here?”

Jimin stepped up, so that he was in Namjoon’s line of sight. Jimin could see the tension visibly leave Namjoon’s body as his shoulders relaxed.

“Do you mind if I come in?” Namjoon asked.

Jimin took a deep breath. He schooled his face into a smile. “Go ahead.”

Chaeyoung opened the door wide enough so that Namjoon could enter. He didn’t step close to Jimin, there was at least five feet of distance between the two Princes. He spoke first, “Here I am.”

Namjoon said, “There you are.” And then he smiled, relief etched into his features.

Jimin felt his heart pound.

Namjoon spoke again, “Hobeom told me that you and Hoseok went into town. And that you came back injured.”

Jimin pulled the shawl tight on his body. “It was my idea. I begged Hoseok to take me out.”

“So it did happen,” Namjoon said, mostly to himself.

But Jimin heard. And his smile faltered.

Namjoon reached for Jimin’s hand. Jimin pulled back.

“What you didn’t think I could do that?” Jimin accused.

Namjoon blinked in surprise.

Jimin’s smile fell entirely. “Did you think I was a quiet little submissive Omega. Who is only too happy to stay inside where it’s safe.”

Namjoon struggled to find words, “No that-”

“Who shouldn’t go outside because I’m _fragile?”_

“That wasn’t what I was trying to say!”

Jimin took a deep breath, he asked “Why do you care?”

“Because…” Namjoon faltered, “We’re engaged.”

The engagement, of course. The only reason to care. Jimin snapped, “You don’t have to feel obligated to me because of something our parents arranged.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

 “Then what were you trying to say?”

Namjoon opened his mouth, then closed it. He reached out, then pulled back. “I just want to talk.”

Jimin crossed his arms. “Well I don’t want to talk.”

Namjoon felt as if he had been slapped in the face. Jimin kept his stare, but there were tears pooling at his eyes.

“I think you should leave. Now.”

Namjoon looked as if he wanted to say more. Instead he took a deep breath and left the room.

Chaeyoung closed the door behind him. She glared at Jimin, “That wasn’t nice.”

“You’re choosing his side?” Jimin accused.

“Yes,” Chaeyoung deadpanned, “ _We_ were worried about you. If you saw the look on Namjoon’s face when I told him you were missing-”

Jimin interrupted, “I don’t care!”

Chaeyoung clamped her mouth shut.

She was mad, Jimin could tell by the downturn of her eyebrows and the stiffness in her shoulders. He wanted her to yell at him. He needed a fight. He had heat burning beneath his skin that was begging to be released.

Chaeyoung did not give him the satisfaction of a fight.

She dipped a towel in the water basin on his armoire, and a requested, in an unnaturally calm voice, “Show me your arm, my prince.”

Jimin rolled up his sleeve.

As Chaeyoung cleaned his arm, he released his anger in the form of silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

 

 

 

 

Seokjin held the bag of ice to Jungkook’s swollen cheek. Jungkook shivered. They both sat on Yoongi’s bed.

“I’m going to punch Hobeom next time I see him,” Seokjin said.

“Don’t. He’ll tell your father,” Jungkook said.

“Then I’ll punch him,” Yoongi said, from where he sat on Jungkook’s other side.

Jungkook snickered, then winced in pain.

“You’re not punching anyone,” Seokjin scolded.

Yoongi shrugged, “He can’t hit me back, and the King already hates me.”

Seokjin pulled away from Jungkook to look at Yoongi. “My dad doesn’t hate you,” Seokjin said.

“Your mom does,” Yoongi said.

“She doesn’t hate you either,” Seokjin kissed the top of Yoongi’s head, “she just throws a tantrum every time something doesn’t go her way.” He handed Yoongi the bag of half melted ice. Yoongi emptied it in the bowl on the vanity, then refilled it with the contents of the ice bucket. His palm pressed against Jungkook’s jaw, tilted it, so that Yoongi could place the ice bag against the stinging red skin. Jungkook hissed at the cold sensation.

“I can’t believe Jimin put his life in danger like that, and Hoseok agreed to it,” Seokjin said.

“How did you get out?” Yoongi asked.

“We slipped through the back perimeter,” Jungkook explained, “There’s an old door with a rusted lock that we broke through, as our true wolves, so we wouldn’t get caught.”

“Honestly how could Jimin put his own life in danger. That was reckless.” Seokjin ran his hands through his hair.

“Did they recognize him? Was he swarmed?” Yoongi asked.

“No? They saw that he was a southern wolf, but no one realized he was the prince” Jungkook said. “Everyone loved him. He’s too charming for his own good”

“What if someone had recognized him? They could have held him for ransom,” Seokjin continued.

“Did he bring anything back?” Yoongi asked. Seokjin stared at Yoongi, suddenly realizing that they were having two different conversations with Jungkook.

“He bought a few gifts. None for you,” Jungkook teased.

Yoongi pouted. He pressed the bag harder against Jungkook’s cheek. “Ow,” Jungkook cried.

Seokjin looked down at his fiancé. “You are…. interested in Jimin’s escape.”

“Of course I am,” Yoongi said. He removed the ice bag from Jungkook’s face and wiped the condensation with his sleeve. Seokjin gently prodded his back, an attempt to coax Yoongi into elaborating.

Yoongi took his time. “…he’s done something I’ve wanted to do since I first moved in. He went outside.”

Seokjin was stunned.

“I used to walk around freely in my town on the coast. I’ve been in this palace for a month.” Yoongi picked at the cotton sheets.

“Do you feel trapped?” Seokjin asked.

“Sometimes,” Yoongi said. He didn’t make eye contact with Seokjin or Jungkook. “I miss feeling the wind on my face, and haggling at the marketplace.”

Seokjin thought over those words. In all the excitement of the wedding, he hadn’t thought about much else. He pulled Yoongi to his chest and hugged his small body. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Your mom hates me. I don’t want to give her another reason by proving I’m the savage wolf she already thinks I am.”

“And it’s a bad idea to have an unclaimed pregnant Omega outside,” Jungkook added.

Seokjin glared at Jungkook from over Yoongi’s head. Jungkook shrugged, he simply stated a fact.

Seojin kissed the top of Yoongi’s head. “I’m sorry. I’ll talk to Hobeom about arranging a trip into town.”

“I don’t want an _arranged_ trip,” Yoongi scoffed.

“Well that’s the only way you’re going to the market place,” Seokjin said, “Sweet Pea, you knew that a life with me would be very different from your old one. Is it still worth marrying me?”

Yoongi kissed Seokjin’s jaw. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Seokjin hugged Yoongi tighter, “I’m the luckiest wolf in the world.”

A pillow hit Seokjin in the face.

“Get that gross romance out of here,” Jungkook said.

“This is my room,” Yoongi said.

Jungkook threw another pillow, this time it hit Yoongi.

Yoongi and Seokjin each grabbed a pillow and ganged upon against Jungkook. They hit him repeatedly on the back. Jungkook laughed, he declared his surrender.

He was ignored, the pillow attacks persisted.

  


 

 

 

Mistletoe sniffed at the stack of books. His little pink nose twitched the movement. His right ear dipped, then went up. Mistletoe took another sniff. He tensed his little body, took a giant leap…

Only to land on top of the books.

Taehyung clapped anyway. “Nice try buddy. Next time he’ll jump over them. Right Joonie?”

Namjoon groaned from where he lay face down on his bed.

Taehyung’s head fell against the mattress. “Are you going to sulk all afternoon?” Taehyung asked.

Namjoon groaned louder.

Taehyung sighed.

Mistletoe pooped on the books. Taehyung chose not to tell Namjoon. He was distraught enough as it is. He didn’t need to know that his agriculture logs were soiled.

Hoseok walked into the room. His hair was still damp from his bath.

“What’s wrong with him?” Hoseok asked.

“Jiminnie kicked him out of his room,” Taehyung said. He pushed the books away with his foot.

“He hates me,” Namjoon’s voice was muffled by the covers.

Hoseok sighed, “You two need to talk. Not about negotiations or economy, actually talk about feelings.”

“But that’s hard,” Namjoon whined.

Hoseok tugged on Namjoon’s hair, so that he could look him in the eyes as he asked, “Does Jimin even know that you love him?”

Namjoon didn’t answer.

Hoseok released his grip on Namjoon’s hair. Namjoon dropped back on the covers. “Prince Namjoon, disaster wolf everyone.”

Taehyung clapped. Namjoon groaned.

Hoseok put his hands on his hips, “Jimin is still under the impression that you were both forced into this engagement, when really you’ve been counting down the days until you can officially call him yours. Tell him he lights a fire in you and be happy already.

“But what if he doesn’t feel the same way?” Namjoon said.

“Then you make like Jeongyeon and woo him,” Hoseok explained, as if the answer were obvious, “If the rest of us have to do it, then so should you.”

Namjoon chewed on his lower lip. “I’ll try something…”

Hoseok sighed in relief.

“But now, you are going to describe your attackers, in detail, so I can send a hunting party after them.” Namjoon grabbed a notebook and quill pen.

“Gladly,” Hoseok agreed.

He sat down on the bed and described the entire excursion to both Jimin and Namjoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Jimin stood still in front of the mirror in his room. The seamstress pulled on the loose blue robe he wore. She marked the adjustments in white chalk and pinned back fabric.

Chaeyoung sat on his bed. She drew in her giant sketchbook with various colored chalks that Jimin gifted her on her last birthday.

Yoongi sat on the couch next to the mirror. Jimin had been there for Yoongi’s fitting, now he returned the gesture.

“I’m sorry, your highness, but with Yoongi in green, you’ll have to wear the Northern blue. It is a wedding for the future King of the North,” the wedding planner explained.

“I understand,” Jimin said with a sigh, though a smile played on his lips.  He has only worn Northern robes a handful of times, the first instance being the engagement ceremony. Jimin held up his arm to his face, yes the blue of the robes did make his eyes stand out, but he missed the brilliance of the Southern red. Jimin’s eyes dulled. “I can always wear red for my wedding.”

The wedding planner, Hyoyeon, shook her head. “Actually, your highness, for your own wedding I thought it would be best if you wore gold and Namjoon wore silver.”

The color drained from Yoongi’s face. At the same time Chaeyoung gasped. She covered her cheeks with her hands and squealed, “Gold and Silver! It really will be a royal wedding. The phoenix can be embroidered in red. Oh my goodness.”

Hyoyeon patted Chaeyoung on the head, then turned to Jimin and said, “You both will look very regal.”

Yoongi mumbled to himself, “They’ll be too bright. I’ll go blind just from looking at them.”

One of her assistants whispered in Hyoyeon’s ear. They both left Jimin’s room.

Jimin held the blue sleeve up, so that it was level with his eyes. The colors matched well. He sighed.

“T’is a pity,” the seamstress spoke as she pinned back Jimin’s robes and marked another adjustment, “After Prince Namjoon went through all that trouble.”

Jimin blinked, “What trouble?”

The seamstress gave him a coy smile, her yellow eyes curved at the corners. She kneeled to adjust the ties around Jimin’s waist. “He brought a renowned dyer down from his home in the mountains to hand mix the exact shade of Southern red on thick Northern fabric. It was an expensive enterprise.”

Jimin turned to Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung shrugged, she had known nothing about this.

The seamstress folded down the bottom of Jimin’s robes, and marked where she would have to hem. She asked, “Would you like to see it?”

Jimin nodded.

She opened up a locked chest. Inside were various shades of rich blue and stunning silver fabric. The seamstress parted the blue fabrics, and from them emerged a beautiful brilliant red fabric.

Jimin and Chaeyoung gasped. The seamstress placed the length of fabric in Jimin’s hands. He ran his fingers over the thread. “It’s so thick.”

Chaeyoung held the fabric to her face. “This would keep you warm in the winter.”

Jimin thought of Namjoon, special ordering the dye, searching for the dyer, paying extra money just so the fabric would be the shade of red Jimin grew up wearing.

“Yes, is it would,” Jimin smiled. Jimin hugged the fabric to his chest and smiled.

 

 

 

 

 

Namjoon sat cross legged on his favorite leather chair. He read over the notes from the earlier meeting. He transcribed the important moments into another book. Well, he was trying.

After rereading the page for the fifth time and absorbing nothing, Namjoon realized his studies were a lost cause.

“Shit.” He rubbed his temple. When he closed his eyes, He saw Jimin’s face in the back of his eyes. The downturn, the full frown. And Namjoon could do nothing.

Namjoon’s alcove flooded with light.

“Found you.”

Namjoon sat upright.

Jimin was obscured by the hallway light, but it was clearly his silhouette

Namjoon scratched the back of his neck, “It’s not hard.”

“Maybe this would be the day you were spontaneous.” Jimin dropped the curtain behind him. Namjoon could see him by the candlelight.

Jimin stared at the ground so Namjoon couldn’t look him in the eyes. His gaze went down from soft brown hair, to the choker around his neck, the smooth skin of his exposed shoulder. Jimin wore red. Namjoon guessed he would after their fight earlier, but it still hurt to see. It almost like a blatant rejection of the North.

Namjoon saw the bandages around Jimin’s forearm and felt his heart plummet further.

“Does it hurt?” Namjoon asked.

Jimin turned his arm over, “Not anymore. The nurse gave me a salve to relieve the pain. He’ll take the stitches out next week.”

“It was bad enough for stitches?”

“Just a few, it could have been a lot worse considering...” Jimin’s voice tapered off.

Namjoon wanted to ask ten thousand more questions. But, “I’m surprised to see you. I thought you were mad at me.”

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier,” Jimin said. He looked down at his locked hands. “I should have let you explain yourself before I attacked you. Chaeyong told me about how worried you were for me. I mistook your concern for… I felt as if you were belittling me.”

“I should apologize too.”

“You shouldn’t. You have nothing to apologize for.” Jimin placed his hand on Namjoon’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t be angry when you ignore my feelings if you don’t know what they are in the first place. I’ll try to tell you when I’m upset.”

“Don’t talk to me when you’re upset.”

Jimin’s false smile fell.

“I mean, yes, please talk to me when you’re upset, but you can also talk to me when you’re happy or sad or bored.”

Jimin’s eyebrows furrowed together.

Namjoon ran his hands through his silver hair. “I want our marriage to be successful, and that will only happen if we’re honest with each other. I want us to communicate and be happy when we’re together.”

“I’d like that too,” Jimin agreed. Jimin reached into the pockets of his robe, “I got you something from the city.”

Namjoon sat up straighter, Jimin handed the wrapped parcel to him.

“The vendor said that they’re in style right now,” Jimin explained.

Namjoon peeled back the paper to see the brilliant silver star. Heat bloomed in his chest.

“It reminded me of our first meeting… in this room…” Jimin’s voice tapered off.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you,” Namjoon said.

Jimin smiled to himself. “I… maybe one day we’ll learn to love each other.”

Namjoon felt his heart drop. But instead of wallowing in the feeling as usual, he took a deep breath. He remembered Hoseok’s advice and looked up at Jimin. He spoke, “This engagement, you’re… misinformed.”

Jimin gave Namjoon a quizzical expression. Namjoon stood up, he was determined to hold Jimin’s gaze. “It- it wasn’t my parents my parents’ idea. I was the one who first suggested it.”

Jimin felt the air leave his lungs.

The words fell from Namjoon’s mouth, “When gold was discovered in the East I jumped on the opportunity. I was never happy with your engagement to my brother.”

Jimin could feel his cheeks reddening. “I was… I was not aware you felt that way.”

“I’m not very good at expressing my feelings.”

“It took me six years to accept a proposal to your brother,” Jimin’s voice grew smaller with each word, “I don’t want to waste another six to embrace marrying you.”

“I would be very sad if that were the case,” Namjoon admitted honestly.

Jimin’s face was a brilliant red now, almost the same shade as his robe. “Thank you for sharing. I must return to Chaeyoung. She- she had words. For me.” Jimin ran out of the alcove.

Namjoon sighed. It could have been worse. But.

He looked down at the silver star broach.

At least it wasn’t an outright rejection. Maybe, just maybe.

 

 

 

 

Jimin wore his brilliant robes. But he also wore a thick black robe. He fought back the urge to pull the hood over his head and protect his cold ears. He had to have his head exposed today.

Because today, the day after sneaking out of the palace, Namjoon had arranged for all of them to go into town. No carriage, no palanquin, just walking through the city. And Jimin loved every minute.

Jimin walked up to the leather cart that he had approached yesterday. The owner smiled warmly at him. “You deceived me. You should have told me you were our Prince Namjoon’s fiancé.”

“I didn’t want you to treat me differently,” Jimin chuckled lightly.

“Of course I would. My daughter and I are making a beautiful saddle for a marriage present. Please anticipate it.”

“I will,” Jimin smiled.

“Your highness, what’s that around your neck?”

Jimin touched the thin leather band on his neck, “It’s called a choker. They’re a common accessory in the South."

Jimin turned to where the rest of the group stood. He caught the shine of the brooch pinned to Namjoon’s robe. A stunning silver star. Namjoon caught him looking. Jimin turned away, desperate to hide the blush on his face.

Jimin walked back to Prince Namjoon and Taehyung. Namjoon smiled down at him. “Did you make friends yesterday?”

“Only acquaintances,” Jimin said, “It’s hard not to fall for my Southern charms.”

Namjoon sighed, but he was expression was soft, “That’s true.”

Taehyung pouted, “I can’t believe you went out without me.”

“Your lavender hair stands out.”

“Your everything stands out!” Taehyung retaliated.

“I’m sorry,” Jimin patted Taehyung’s arms, “I brought you today.”

“No, Namjoonie did. So, you still owe me a shopping trip,” Taehyung said in a tone finality.

Namjoon laughed. Jimin relented.

From the stalls, they could hear an argument break out.

“On the shore they cost half as much!”

“I’m sorry sir. The final cost is 50!”

“You’re swindling me.”

Jimin ran to Yoongi’s side. He pulled Yoongi back.

The fishmonger was red in the face.

Jimin appeased, “He’s joking. We’ll take a whole basket.”

Yoongi grumbled. “No, we won’t. We can get it for cheaper.”

Jimin dugs claws into Yoongi’s arm. Yoongi yelped. Jimin spoke to the shopkeeper, “Can you wrap up the basket for us?”

The shopkeeper beamed up at Jimin, then scowled at Yoongi.

“We can afford to pay this price,” Jimin whispered into Yoongi’s ear.

“That doesn’t mean we should,” Yoongi hissed.

“We want the townspeople to like you. Yelling in the marketplace won’t help.”

Yoongi groaned.

Seokjin and Jungkook saw the whole situation. They stepped up next to Namjoon and Taehyung. “Are you okay with this behavior?” Namjoon gestured at Yoongi.

Seokjin shrugged. “That’s how he always shops.”

“It’s more fun when no one stops him. I saw him haggle the cost of a basket down from fifty to three,” Jungkook said in awe.

Namjoon sighed. Taehyung laughed.

Jimin and Yoongi walked to the next stall, Jimin made Yoongi carry the basket as punishment, which was covered in small metal toys.

“They wind up,” explained the red eyed Alpha manning the stall, “And they move.”

“Fancy,” Yoongi said.

“Taehyung would like one of these,” Jimin held one up to admire it.

He felt a pull on his robes. He looked down, only to see a small brown eyed pup looking up at him.

“Where are you from?” the pup asked. His friend slapped him.

“You can’t ask someone where they’re from,” the other pup hissed.

“But he’s not from here,” the first pup whined.

“How can you tell?”

“He talks funny.”

“Well where I come from, you’re the one that talks funny,” Jimin teased, smile ever present on his face.

“And his eyes are so blue they’re almost grey.”

The second one said, “You’re the prettiest wolf I’ve ever seen.” His cheeks burned red.

Jimin blushed under the compliment, “Thank you.”

Jimin bought each pup their own toy. Then waved as they ran off.

“You spend money like water,” Yoongi scolded.

“We actually have money to spend, they don’t,” Jimin snapped back.

The shopkeeper spoke, “Congratulations to both of you. I wish you lifetimes of happiness.”

Jimin smiled, “Thank you.”

Yoongi didn’t say anything. Jimin elbowed him. Yoongi managed a small, “Thank you.”

The rest of the group watched the whole interaction. Jungkook elbowed Namjoon, “Be careful, the kids a better flirt than you.”

Namjoon growled.

Taehyung chuckled, “You know, Jiminnie fits in with this place.”

Seokjin frowned.

Namjoon smile turned fond, “He really does.”

Seokjin’s frown deepened.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the city square. Later, when they were tucked away in Namjoon’s alcove, when Jimin sat in Namjoon’s lap since there was only one chair, and Namjoon held Jimin’s smaller hand in his, Jimin admitted to Namjoon that it was the happiest day he’s had since he moved to the North. And Namjoon smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize for waiting over a year before finish the story. To be honest, my job got in the way, and then i got obsessed with my hero academia and omgcheckplease, then I lost motivation and thought no one cared if this finished or not. Clearly I was wrong. 
> 
> There's a hint about what the next story is about at the end of this fic. I can't reveal too many details bc a) its mostly unfinished and b) i don't like giving away spoilers. 
> 
> I don't know when the next story will start bc my job sucks and i'm going on vacation to meet my girlfriend's family. I can promise that it will start before the end of 2018
> 
> Until then, please enjoy this really frikkin awesome moodboard that someone made on twitter https://twitter.com/ji_hyped/status/1022456905376116736

**Author's Note:**

> In all the previous stories Jimin's been very passive, he needed a story where he was the active one. Of course Tzuyu would plant the idea in his head, she's been independent since birth.
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for your patience with this series, and with me. I appreciate it <3


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